Wexford Montessori Magnet School

Wexford Montessori Magnet School is a public PK-8 magnet school in Lansing, MI, serving 356 students within the Lansing Public School District, where over 84% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

While Wexford’s overall state ranking is low (16th percentile), the school shows real strengths in its upper grades. In 8th grade, Wexford students significantly outperform nearby schools like North School and Dwight Rich School of the Arts in science, social studies, and English language arts. For example, 54.2% of Wexford 8th graders were proficient in PSAT English Language Arts, compared to a district average of 38.7%. In one recent year, Wexford’s 8th-grade science proficiency hit 45.5%—nearly three times the district average and above the state average. This suggests the Montessori approach may be especially effective in middle school. The school’s state ranking has also improved steadily over four years, from the 3rd to the 16th percentile, a positive trend not seen at some neighboring schools.

The biggest challenge is chronic absenteeism. While it has dropped dramatically from 92.5% to 49.7%, it remains nearly double the state average of 27.9%. This likely impacts early-grade proficiency, where only 15.4% of 3rd graders met ELA and math standards. There is also a consistent gender gap, with female students ranking higher than male students statewide. On a positive note, Wexford’s performance with its White students jumped from the 26th to the 45th percentile in two years. The school spends over $21,000 per student—higher than many peers—yet results lag behind Cavanaugh School, just 2 miles away, which ranks in the 73rd percentile with a similar demographic profile. This comparison shows that high achievement is possible in the same district, making Wexford’s challenges addressable with focused effort on attendance and early-grade support.